ESG News from Leading Brands

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

PYXERA Global and Dangote Farms Ltd. Partner to Eliminate Food Loss and Waste

Feb 4, 2016 10:20 AM ET

Dangote Farms Limited and PYXERA Global signed a Memorandum of Understanding last week to help reduce food waste and loss in Northern Nigeria. This agreement stems from the YieldWise initiative, a partnership between The Rockefeller Foundation, PYXERA Global and other organizations to reduce post-harvest loss across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Approximately 40% of all produce is lost between farm and market in what is called post-harvest loss. Limited infrastructure and poor transportation and storage creates tremendous economic damage to emerging economies and preventable hunger.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

D2D Secures New Funding from MetLife Foundation for Financial Empowerment Innovation Fund

Feb 4, 2016 10:05 AM ET

Doorways to Dreams (D2D) is pleased to announce the 2016 launch of its Financial Empowerment Innovation Fund. The $3 million Fund has secured grants from generous funders to support D2D’s ground breaking work to develop and scale a next generation of practical tools to dramatically improve the financial security of economically vulnerable Americans.

Health & Healthcare

A Simple Message for Women in Tanzania: Get Checked for Cervical Cancer

Feb 4, 2016 10:00 AM ET

In the small village of Pasiasi, in a remote region of Tanzania, a woman named Happiness Modesti is forever grateful to the Tanzania Youth Alliance (TAYOA) for making her aware of cervical cancer and the importance of screening for the disease – all through mobile technology.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Best Practices for Colocation Data Centers: A Guide to Maximizing Renewable Energy Mix

Feb 4, 2016 9:15 AM ET

A report from BSR's Future of Internet Power identifies best practices for maximizing the use of renewable energy at colocation data centers (colos) in the United States.

Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

Millennials: A Generation Forging a New Economic Path

Feb 4, 2016 9:10 AM ET

Learn how Millennials are Forging a New Economic Path

Events, Media & Communications

Sustainable Brands Announces ‘Activating Purpose’ Theme for SB’16 San Diego Conference, June 6-9, 2016

Feb 4, 2016 9:00 AM ET

Sustainable Brands® recently announced the theme and program focus for SB’16 San Diego. ‘Activating Purpose’ is set to explore how brand leaders are achieving business success and creating scalable, positive impact while recognizing enhanced profitability through purpose-driven leadership. SB'16 San Diego is scheduled for June 6-9, 2016 at the Paradise Point Resort & Spa in San Diego, CA.

Education

Orlando Radio Advertisers Bring Brand New Books to Orlando Area Students

Feb 4, 2016 9:00 AM ET

Orlando Radio Advertisers, Universal Nissan, Universal Hyundai, 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore, RC Hill Mitsubishi and Keiser University have teamed up with nonprofit social enterprise First Book to bring 5,000 brand-new and age-appropriate books to students at Orlando Day Nursery. Funding for this program was generated through participation in CBS EcoMedia’s EducationAd program.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Rebuilding Together, Lowe’s and NFL Players Team Up During Super Bowl Weekend to Help Transform San Francisco Community Through Kickoff to Rebuild

Feb 4, 2016 9:00 AM ET

Rebuilding Together — a leading national nonprofit in safe and healthy housing that provides low-income homeowners with critical home repairs — will join together with its affiliate, Rebuilding Together San Francisco and more than fifteen NFL players from teams across the country, to lead its 21st annual Kickoff to Rebuild, a Super Bowl 50 sanctioned event. This year’s event, in partnership with Lowe’s, will take place on February 5 in the Bayview neighborhood and will be the culmination of a series of projects across the Bay Area by five Rebuilding Together affiliates.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Skills-Based Speed Dating: Pitching Your Volunteer Project to the "Other Side"

Feb 4, 2016 8:40 AM ET

Skills-based volunteering is the fastest growing corporate volunteering program. More than 50% of companies offer programs that direct their employees’ talents towards solving the challenges facing their communities.

Events, Media & Communications

MacGillivray Freeman Films in Association With Brand USA Present the Ultimate Adventure Documentary “National Parks Adventure” Narrated by Academy Award® Winner Robert Redford

Feb 4, 2016 8:20 AM ET

MacGillivray Freeman’s new adventure documentary for IMAX® and giant screen theatres, “NATIONAL PARKS ADVENTURE,” opens globally on Friday, February 12th with a roll-out expansion release through the Fall.

Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration Needed for Sustainability Scale-Up

Feb 4, 2016 8:00 AM ET

Following the COP21 in Paris and the establishment of SDGs, cross-sector collaboration to drive progress on sustainability has become more important than ever.

Health & Healthcare

We Can. I Can. Make a Difference for Cancer Patients: World Cancer Day 2016

Feb 4, 2016 8:00 AM ET

World Cancer Day, recognized annually on February 4, is an initiative of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), focused on uniting the world in the fight against cancer. Having in mind Bristol-Myers Squibb’s commitment to make a difference in the lives of patients living with cancer, we can’t think of a better opportunity for the global community to come together and to raise awareness about this devastating disease: its prevalence; what the public should know about risk factors; and the importance of education and support.

Education

Alumni in Action: Luvena Ong

Feb 4, 2016 8:00 AM ET

While in the Amgen Scholars Program, Luvena Ong got a firsthand look at what doing independent research would be like. Inspired by the Program and other experiences, she is now pursuing a PhD as a part of the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, where she is developing and applying nucleic acid–based nanosystems.

Health & Healthcare

Diet Proves to Be an Adjustment for New Canadians

Feb 4, 2016 7:00 AM ET

Food is often seen as a comfort to most of us, so what happens when you move to a new country and are faced with new foods that you’re not accustomed to eating?

Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

FedEx to Invest $200 Million in More Than 200 Global Communities by 2020

Feb 3, 2016 4:50 PM ET

FedEx Corp. (NYSE:FDX) today unveiled its new global giving platform, FedEx Cares. The company will invest $200 million in more than 200 communities by 2020 to create opportunities and deliver positive change around the world.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Making Employee Volunteers Matter

Feb 3, 2016 3:40 PM ET

Each year, the importance of employee volunteering rises to the surface as an area of growing importance. But the anecdotal stories and real life case studies haven’t changed that much.

Events, Media & Communications

Ingersoll Rand Supports Findings of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy’s 2016 Edition of the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook

Feb 3, 2016 3:30 PM ET

Ingersoll Rand, a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments, is joining the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) and Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) to present key themes from the 2016 edition of the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook.

Social Impact & Volunteering

Time Warner Cable Celebrates Six Years of Connect a Million Minds

Feb 3, 2016 3:15 PM ET

It is hard to believe that in November 2015 TWC celebrated the sixth anniversary of Connect a Million Minds (CAMM), our philanthropic initiative to connect students to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Innovation & Technology

Bard MBA to Host Live Podcast - 98% of All Clothes Are Made Overseas

Feb 3, 2016 2:15 PM ET

The Bard MBA in Sustainability  will host a live discussion, "Certifying Sustainability and Transparency in Local Economies" with Eric Henry, President of TS Designs, on the dial-in podcast, Sustainable Business Fridays, Friday, February 5th, at 12pm EST.

Innovation & Technology

What Does it Mean to Engage Tech Talent in Pro Bono?

Feb 3, 2016 2:00 PM ET

During Pro Bono Week 2015, our team hosted a pop-up discussion with about 40 folks from both for-profit and nonprofit organizations in order to begin addressing what engaging ‘tech talent’ really means for the nonprofit sector.

Energy

Center for Resource Solutions Provides Green-e Certification to PG&E’s Newly Launched Solar Choice Program

Feb 3, 2016 2:00 PM ET

Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) announced today that Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) received certification by Green-e Energy, North America’s leading independent certification program for renewable energy, for PG&E’s Solar Choice.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Sentencing to Commence in West Virginia Chemical Accident

Feb 3, 2016 12:10 PM ET

In early January 2014, a peculiar smell was noticed in the town of Charleston, West Virginia. Along the Elk River, residents began to detect a “licorice odor” coming up from the water. According to an article published by the S.F. Gate, the drinking water of some 300,000 West Virginians was compromised.

Environment

Diageo's Miami Office Awarded LEED Certification

Feb 3, 2016 12:00 PM ET

Diageo, a global leader in beverage alcohol, announced that its Miami office has been awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The Miami location is Diageo’s fifth building in North America to receive LEED certification, joining the company’s Chicago, New York and Norwalk offices, and a facility in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The LEED rating system, developed by the USGBC, is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.

Energy

National Grid’s New Energy Efficiency Plan to Generate Even More Savings for Massachusetts Customers

Feb 3, 2016 11:45 AM ET

Environment

Republic Services Participates in El Segundo Shred Day

Feb 3, 2016 11:00 AM ET

Republic Services participated in the Shred Day in El Segundo, CA over the weekend of January 16-17. We were able to capture over 12,810 lbs. of shredded material and over 380 lbs. of cardboard boxes.